Who would want to bludgeon to death a humble country charwoman? Suspicions lead Superintendent Spence (Richard Hope) to conclude that her dodgy tenant James Bentley (Joe Absolom) who has fallen on hard times was motivated by theft to commit the crime. After Bentley is convicted and sentenced to die by the gallows, things still do... Continue Reading →
Love, Lies and Lizzie, by Rosie Rushton – A Review
In her fourth book in the Jane Austen in the 21st-century series for young adult readers, (and some older adults who are forever young at heart), author Rosie Rushton tackles Jane Austen’s most famous novel, Pride and Prejudice, retelling the story with a contemporary twist. Her teenage Lizzie Bennet and sisters are still hunting for... Continue Reading →
A Preview of Darcy’s Hunger: A Vampire Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, by Regina Jeffers
Even more vampires in the queue for Janeites. After we reported last week about Mr. Darcy, Vampyre and The Imortal Jane, we are pleased to announce arriving this December from the author of Darcy’s Passions and Darcy’s Temptation is Darcy’s Hunger: A Vampire Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. This vampire twist on the classic... Continue Reading →
Masterpiece Mystery: Cat Among Pigeons – A Review
Agatha Christie mystery fans were dancing on tabletops across America tonight, when David Suchet returned as their favorite fastidious Belgian super sleuth Hercule Poirot, in Masterpiece Mystery’s opening episode of Six By Agatha - Hercule Poirot: Cat Among Pigeons on PBS. It was more than worth the wait for this long time Masterpiece Mystery fan. What... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth Bennet: “As delightful a character as ever appeared in print.”
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Jane Austen was very proud of her heroine Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. In a letter to her sister Cassandra, shortly after publication, she shares her confidence in her creation. "I must confess that I think her as delightful a character as ever appeared in print,... Continue Reading →
An Interview with Maya Slater, Author of The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: Author Maya Slater has joined us today to chat about her new book, The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy, which has just been released in the US. First published in the UK as Mr. Darcy’s Diary, the novel is a mirror to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and... Continue Reading →
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, by Amanda Grange – Preview
More vampires. Sourcebooks Landmark announced a major new release by the popular author of Mr. Darcy's Diary, Amanda Grange entitled Mr. Darcy, Vampyre, available August 11th. It is a continuation of Pride and Prejudice after the wedding, and may explain some of Mr. Darcy's cold and distant noble mien in the original novel. We recieved the scoop from Amanda Grange herself... Continue Reading →
The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy, A Novel by Maya Slater – A Review
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress: If Jane Austen thought that her novel Pride and Prejudice was too light, bright, and sparkling and wanted shade, then author Maya Slater has made up for any deficit by crossing over to the ‘dark side’ in writing her re-telling of the story entitled The Private Diary of... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen Goes Paranormal – Author Janet Mullany Chats about Austen and Vampires
The world has truly gone vampire crazy! Blame it on the Stephenie Meyer Twilight series which made hearts and flowers all over a genre which had traditionally been more bloody and less appealing to tweenage girls, and *ahem* ladies. Her aloof and pensive vegetarian vampire Edward Cullen may make hearts swoon by the thousands, but... Continue Reading →
Zombies are multiplying: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – The Deluxe Heirloom Edition
Gentle Readers: More zombies you ask? Yup! Just when you thought it was safe to go back into a bookstore, Quirk Books officially announced today a Deluxe Heirloom Edition of its New York Times bestselling Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, now with 30% more zombie action – yes – that’s 30% more bone crunching and... Continue Reading →
A Body at Rest, by Susan Petrone – A Review
Try, if you can, to imagine two twenty-something over-educated cocktail waitresses, bored with their lives, embark on a road trip of discovery, end up in an Iowa cornfield, get tattoos, and begin transforming into their favorite fictional characters – Don Quixote and Emma Woodhouse. Whoa! The title A Body at Rest appears to be a... Continue Reading →
I met Mary Bennet today. I kid you not!
Mr. Bennet's expectations were fully answered. His cousin was as absurd as he had hoped, and he listened to him with the keenest enjoyment, maintaining at the same time the most resolute composure of countenance, and, except in an occasional glance at Elizabeth, requiring no partner in his pleasure. By tea-time, however, the dose had... Continue Reading →